#Fractal Grafics 3D & 3DS
10 messages in this thread
Hi John,
Do you know how Fractal Grafics 3D compares with Virtual Reality Labs'
VistaPro & VistaMorph??
I find VRL's products real easy to use, and love the way you can morph
between different landscapes during an animation. The frustrating thing
is the 3D data cannot be transferred to Studio by DXF or 3DS format.
Ideally, I'm looking for a product which will export in 3DS format,
hence retaining landscape textures and if possible flight paths.
Do you have a phone number where I can get info/order Fractal Grafics,
or maybe an address to write to??
Thanks,
Andy Roberts (BITS)
Foo:
Fractal Grafics can export files as *.dxf, but not *.3ds. I'm not familiar
with VistaPro, but if you're specifically looking for a fractal terrain
generator, FG might work. Give its creator a call and explain what you're
after:
Dick Oliver 802-888-5275 fax: 802-888-3009
BTW, is there any vector format that VistaPro can output (like HPGL)?
Bruce
I've been trying to convince one of the Vista programmers to include DXF
output. The general problem with DEMs is that they're so big. Do the math: 258
x 258 grid points means 257 x 257 grid squares or 66,564 points. Right there,
you're beyond the limit of points in a single sub-object in 3DS. It's also
133,128 triangular faces, beyond the 64K limit of faces in a 3DS sub-object,
too. A simple export doesn't cut it. So you need to pull some tricks like
"decimating" the surface by removing nearly coplanar triangles. Then people
start working with 514 x 514 DEMs.
Hello Andy,
Do you want to transfer a VistaPro v3 landscape into 3DS? (as a mesh only, no
textures or paths) I've done this thru the convoluted:
Save the VistaPro file as a PCX (DEM to PCX)
(may be able to skip the next two steps with the
/p option on GIFDXF below (?))
Load the PCX into Corel PhotoPaint
Load the grey scale palette, GREYS.PAL
Edit as required
Convert the PCX to GIF
Convert to DXF using GIFDXF (avail on this forum)
Load into 3DS
One small problem is GIFDXF makes all interior lines hidden, so if you want to
animate your mesh, it's hard to work with in the keyframer. No problem in the
editor. I wrote and uploaded a little program a while back, DXFUH.ZIP I think,
which will fix this.
There may be a much easier way, but I don't know it.
JKJ (in constant search of hard ways to do things)
Thanks for the reply John,
I don't have GIFDXF, but will take a look for it now and work
through your suggestions.
I'll let you know how I get on..
Cheers,
Andy.
John,
Any ideas on how I could achieve a 'graduated landscape' texture map?
You know – where the tips of each peak is white (for snow) the middle
is green, and the base is grey/brown.
The only way I can think of right now is by selecting faces from a side
view, but then the join is too sudden and doesn't look so good.
What d'ya reckon???
Andy
Andy:
The way we did a similar animation is to create a texture map and apply it
from the top view. Make it as detailed as you have to and make sure the
texture blur is up high enough to blend in the pixels.
Greg Pyros
Create a white/green/brown gradient backround and render an empty background to
a tif file. Apply mapping to the front face of your hills and then use the tif
as a texture map. This will give you snow caps and rural green valleys.
Schrieber sell a program called Imagine 3D Surface which generates landscapes.
I can get you the number if you want.
Martin Bowring
Andy,
>>…make a 'graduated landscape' map…<<
A couple of variations I've experimented with (assuming AniPro)…
If you have CHAOS, and want to make a random landscape and texture map:
Save the landscape (mountain) as a DXF. Then, set the
Options/Elevation to 90 degrees, render 256 colors to a GIF. Load
into AniPro or some other program, scale, smooth, jumble, and
otherwise edit the GIF. Apply the GIF to the surface in the top
view of 3DS. A couple of iterations and it doesn't look too bad.
If your landscape mesh was not created in CHAOS, you can create a decent map
with a little effort. The idea is to let 3DS build a top view texture map by
applying a gradient from a side view, then edit the gradient.
1. In AniPro, create a vertical gradient, or a series of horizontal
bands. For example, you can make the top 1/3 of the screen white
(for snow), the middle grey (rocks), the bottom green (valleys)
(and perhaps the very bottom blue?).
2. Save as a GIF then apply it to your landscape mesh from the side.
Now the tops of the mountains will be white, etc., but the boundaries
between the bands will be too sharp and unrealistic.
3. Next, render the TOP view to a GIF file and load into AniPro. Now
it's a matter of editing the new GIF to make the boundaries irregular
and follow the ridges, add rivers, meadows, forest textures, etc.
4. When you apply this edited GIF to the top view of your mesh, (and go
thru several tries to get it right <g>), the result is fairly pleasing.
Note that you can make lakes in hollow spots by moving a horizontal flat into
the right spot and coloring it blue.
In addition, I've found that a simple vertical gradient GIF, from white on the
top to dark green on the bottom, makes a useful map to apply to the side of a
landscape mesh. It's real easy to do, makes the mesh a lot easier to work with
while editing and tweaking camera angles, lighting, etc., and doesn't look too
bad either (looks a lot better than a solid color!).
Standard wimp-out disclaimer: these are but things I've experimented with and
I'd be surprised if they are the best way to do real work. I never do any real
work. <g>
JKJ